Latch



LATCH B. J. CRAIG Filed Sept Aug. 4, 1953 'of the position zing closed.

Y Patented Aug. 4, 1953 :L Si fUNiTEo 'r STATES rATENT 'i OFFICE 2,647,781 g LATCH Burnie J. Craig, Los Angeles County, Calif. Application September 12, 1949, Serial No. 115,290

1 This invention relates'to latches. The general object of the linvention is to provide an improved vehicle door latch of the type wherein a pivoted boltis mounted on a vehicle door and a strike is mounted' upon the vehicle body, andr wherein the bolt in moving fromv disengaged to engaged position normally moves over `a cam surface on the strike until the bolt is home, whereupon suitable means operates to hold the bolt in engaged position.

" `Al more specific object of the invention is to provide a vehicle door catch wherein a bolt pivotyed on the door normally is movedv to engaged position behind an abutment lby contact with a .'carn surface'on the strike and wherein should the bolt be accidentally or otherwise moved to engaged position before the door is closed there is means provided' on the strike to permit the vide a vehicle door catch wherein there is a ycam -'surface across which the bolt normally moves in its path to engaged position behind an abutment and wherein if the bolt is already in engaged position the abutmentwillvswing about a pivotto permit the bolt to pass-and will thereafter be fmoved'to 4bolt engagingv position.

An additional object 'of the invention is topra- -vide a latch wherein a pivoted bolt member has "means to holdfitin engaged and disengaged lposition and rwherein astrike plate vcarries rmeans "permitting the bolt to move yto door securing position and be held in such position regardless Another object ofthe invention is to provide a latch having a cam'surface over which a bolt A'moved to engaged position and whereina pivoted 'dog orfabutment is mounted onthe strike with `.the end of vthe dog or abutment disposed in position ito preventthe boltflfrom moving 'to door -openingpositionl l 1 v Other `objects andadvantages of the invention 'will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:H v f -l l Fig, 1 is a fragmentaryiside elevation showing a vehicle having the present latch;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary,enlarged section taken on line 2-2,Fig. 1; I f

Fig. 3v is a section Vtaken on line 3L3, Figli-2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged, lfragmentary'section taken online 4-4Fig. '3i

to engaged position behind the of the bolt when the door is be- 1,

4` Claims. (Cl. 292-229) Fig. 2, showing the strike and associated parts,

f and Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the parts in another position.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, the invention is shown as embodied in an automotive vehicle which is indicated generally at I0. As shown the vehicle has doors II thereon and includes a pillar I2.

On each door a latch, indicatedgenerally at I5, is mounted. Each latch includes a base mem- .'ed at 22 to the -bolt while the link 2l is pivoted at 23 to the base I4. The two links are pivotally 'connected together as at 24. When the toggle is broken, as shown in Fig. 3, in the broken line lposition, the bolt is in disengaged position. When the toggle straightens the bolt advances to engaged position.

As shown in the drawings, spring 25, engaging the bolt and the base and disposed about the pivot I8, normally urges the bolt to disengaged rposition while a spring 26, having one end about `a pin 26' on the base and arranged about the pivot pin 23, engages the toggle to normally hold the toggle in made position. A pin 2l on the base is provided to prevent the toggle from lpass- `ing too far over center. The bolt is moved to engaged position in a manner to be hereinafter described.

To release the bolt so that it may be moved from engaged to disengaged position by the -spring 25, a release member including a handle "assembly 30 is provided. This handle assembly is similar to the handle shown at |05 of the applicants prior Patent 2,450,372, granted Septemiber 28, 1948, and a further description of the handle and its associated parts is unnecessary except to state that the release means includes a nger tip operated push member 3| which moves a release member 32. This release member 32 carries a cam 33 which, when the bolt is in engaged lposition, is disposed adjacent to the pivot 24 of the toggle so that when the member 3l is depressed in the act of opening the door;

the member 32 will be moved inwardly and the v cam 33 will engage the toggle as shown in Fig. 4

the roller I9 on the bolt when the door is closed.

In this manner the bolt is forced along the cam surface 42 from the broken line position of the bolt (Fig. to the full line position of .the zbolt, in which last position the bolt is in engaged position. When the bolt is in rengaged position, the toggle straightens to the position showniin Fig. f3, whereupon the bolt will "be held in the fully engaged position.

ln this position the bolt is held against outward movement so long .as the toggle is .straight by an abutment or dog .43, which is .pivoted .as at 44 .to .the strike body and is `normally Aurged to .engaged position by a spring 45, the end `4l6 `of which engages the dog while the ylend 4l `engages 'the -Wall `48 of a recess E9 in which the dog .is arranged. 'A shoulder '5B -limits out-Ward .move- :mentni the dog by -the spring.

YIn normal operation when 'the .door is closed '.thelbolt roller .iB runs along the inclined Vsurface 42 to fully .engaged y,position against an arcuate .-s'top portion Aor wall-15.! in which position the toggle hasstraightene'd, lthus I,holding the bolt in engaged position. ".fIlhelbolt engaging the .end -52 vof .the .dog 43 .cannotmove outwardlyin the-di mention ofthe arrow 45,3, Fig, 5, and .thus thedoor ishldclosed.

'Ilo release the 4bolt ythepush button 3l is pushed inwardly, thus :moving the [release lmember v32 .and causing the cam ,33 on the rrelease .member `to engage ythe toggle adjacent to the .pivot 24, `thus breakingthe toggle Ato `thereby permit Vthe spring 25 to move `thetoggle to the .broken .line-position `in FEig.3.as the .doormoved Yto -open position.

A rod .54, shown as ,pivotally Vconnected tothe toggle link 2i .and to .the .remote .control ,handle 55, Fig. 1, in the vehicle permits the :remotenon- Ytrolhandle to .beoperated .to `break Ythe toggle and ,permitdoor opening. y

nShould by any chance, 1through Iinadvertance or .otherwise, the bolt .I'i .be ymoved [to Iengaged ,position .and lthe .toggle straightened before .the 'door `is closed, the lbolt, .asishown -in Fig. 6, would .move horizontallyin the direction of the .arrow 5.6 during the door closing operation Iand when the door is fully closed xwould move .to a @posi- .tion adjacent .to .the shoulder 5|.. During this motion the roller .I9 Wouldlengage .the dog 43, ,as shown in ulllinesinFig. 6, and `would movethe dog .against lthe tension of the spring-45 -until ythe .roller .clears the .end52 of thezdog, whereupon .the -spring would Vforce the 'dog -to vthe 'dotted .line ,position lin-Fig. .thus .holding vthe :door closed.

Thus .it .will be apparent that y.the door Ymay be .closed and .the .bolt `engaged by the dog i43 :re- ,gardlessnf whether the Ybolt Lis in engagedzposi- .tion .or in 1disengaged position at l.th-e time .the door .is moVedtoclosed'position.

, .Having .thus Adescribed my invention, I claim:

l. .Ina latch.construction,.abasefplateadapted .to L be secured to the inner wall-.of ahinged `vehicle door, `a bolt, .means .to Lpivotally Imount aan end p portionrofthe.boltuponthe base plate :forlmovement about an axis which is horizontal and is perpendicular to the inner wall of a vehicle door, the free end portion of the bolt extending beyond the end of the base plate and being adapted to extend beyond the free end of the door and being movable about its pivot from engaged to disengaged position and vice versa, spring means normally urging the bolt to disengaged position, the free end portion of the bolt which extends beyond the ibase ,plat'e including a :strike fengaging portion, a toggle -device including Va toggle link mounted on a fixed pivot on the base plate, a :second toggle link pivotally mounted on the bolt at a location intermediate the strike engaging portion of the bolt and the pivoted end of the colt and .pivot means connecting the toggle links to form a toggle, .the toggle device being operable when made *to hold the bolt in engaged position, ailatchm'eleasing member, means independent of the toggle to mount the latch releasing member for movement rto ,latch Y.releasing position, .and means normally holding the latch releasing mem- =ber in inoperative position, `said .latch releasing :member having Va portion .thereon vdisposed adjacent the toggle device and adapted 'tobreak the toggle when :the latch yreleasing rmember is moved to latch releasing position, rsaid .spring Vmeans being :operable :when .the toggle lis Abroken to move the lbolt -to disengagedfposition.

2. In a latch construction,-abaseiplateadapted to be secured .tothe inner wallrof 1a hinged vehicle ydoor and Ihaving :a -flange at VYone .end `thereof adapted to be disposed fatthefreeend .of a door, .-a bolt, means to pivotally :mount one yendof .the bolt iupon the ybase ,plate for movement tabout 1an axis which v-is horizontal and .is A4.perpendicular zto 4the'inner Wall otawehicledoor, .the angeihaving .-aslot, .the freeendportionbf the bolt extending through the slot and .being movable about its pivot from engaged to disengaged position rand .vice versa, the rtree end portion fof -the -bolt including a .strike engaging portion, :a .toggle ylink :mounted ion the :base plate, asecond .toggle link mounted on the -vbolt at a location v,intermediate .the :strike engaging portion ofthe bolt and the ypivoted end of the 13011;,pivot means .connecting :the toggle flinksto forma '.toggle, the togglefbeing operable when made 'tofhold the bolt in @engaged position, a handle imember, .and a .latch yreleasing member -slidably carried b y .-the handle member, oneens ,normally holding the zlat'ch .releasing .member .in Vinoperative position, Ysaid vlatch releasing member having a portion thereon ldisposed Yadj acent `.the toggle :pivot means :and adapted to :break .the -toggle when -the l'latch releasing member .is moved to operative position and spring -means operable when ithe l.toggle is-broken to urge 'the dbolt to-disengaged position. Inavehicle door:latchonstructiomabase iplate, ta ibolt, fmeans :to pivotally -mount xone end .of the fbolt Vupon the -base `plate to imove l:about .a horizontal )axis which iis perpendicular Ito -the inner face of a hinged door, the afreerend portion .of the vbolt :being mounted .to move from engaged to -disengaged -position and Nice versa, `the free -en'd fof -the bolt projecting =beyond the :free -end of the door, resilient means normally yurging .the `boltto disengaged position, artoggle link mounted on the base plate, 'asecond toggle link mounted .on the .bolt, vpvot `means connecting the toggle links to form a toggle, said toggle when made serving :to hold Vthe Abolt .in -engaged position, the bolt being .disposable in reither engaged :or ldisengaged position while the door is -opena.mov abledatch .releasing'memben .said latch releasing member having means thereon adapted to break the toggle when the latch releasing member is operated, a strike for the bolt, said strike having an inclined face engageable by the free end of the bolt as the 4door is closed to cause the bolt to move to a position to permit the toggle to be made to thereby hold the bolt in engaged position.

4. In a vehicledoor latch construction, a base plate, a bolt, means to pivotally mount one end of the bolt upon the base plate to move about a horizontal axis which is perpendicular to the inner face of a hinged door, the free end portion of the bolt being mounted to move from engaged to disengaged position and vice versa, the free end of the bolt projecting beyond the free end of the door, resilient means normally urging the bolt to disengaged position, a toggle link mounted on the base plate, a second toggle link mounted on the bolt. pivot means connecting the toggle links to form a toggle, said toggle when made serving to hold the bolt in engaged position, the bolt being disposable in either engaged or disengaged position while the door is open, a handle member, a latch releasing member movably carried by the handle member, said latch releasing member having a cam thereon disposed adjacent the toggle and adapted to break the toggle when the latch releasing member is operated, a strike for the bolt, said strike having an inclined face engageable by the free end of the bolt as the door is closed to cause the bolt to move to a position to permit the toggle to be made to thereby hold the bolt in engaged position, a dog pivoted on the strike, said dog having a free end portion normally disposed to be engaged by the bolt when the bolt is held in engaged position by the toggle to prevent opening of the door, the free end of the dog being out of the path of the bolt as the bolt moves along the inclined face of the strike from disengaged position to engaged position as the door is closed, said dog having an inclined outer face portion disposed in the path of the bolt, and adapted to be rocked by the bolt when the bolt is in engaged position while the door is moved to closed position, and means normally urging the dog into the last mentioned path of the bolt.

BURNIE J. CRAIG.

References Cited in the 111e of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,078,964 :Slattery Nov.4 18, 1913 1,542,916 Skogerson June 23, 1925 2,013,285 Mooney Sept. 3, 1935 2,259,670 Voorhees Oct. 21, 1941 2,405,027 Feuerlein July 30, 1946 

